As a parent, you’re bound to let your emotions get the best of you. In those moments, you might lash out at your child out of anger or frustration, and have them bear the heavy brunt.

After the moment of overwhelming emotion, comes the feeling of guilt sitting on your chest heavy. Did I just ruin my bond with my child? Did I make them upset them? How do I make things right?

Such thoughts can be vicious on your conscience, but it all can be cleared away with an honest smile. So how do you apologize the right way?

Acknowledge Their Feelings

There will be times you might have said something that rubbed your child the wrong way. Instead of forcing them to let it slide, hear your child out. Let them talk about why what you said or did hurt their feelings. This allows them a moment to process their feelings, which is much healthier than forcing them to suppress it all. Take this moment to accept their reasoning, instead of dismissing it.

Don’t Make Excuses

It’s good to explain why you might have acted badly, but don’t let it justify your negative behavior. While it might make sense to you, it will create a bad impression! A better way to approach an explanation is by acknowledging your child’s feelings; this way, you know exactly where you went wrong, and how to better approach the situation next time. And most of all, your child gratefully realizes this effort too!

Be Unconditional

A good apology is one that comes from the heart, without expecting anything in return. So be clear and simple with your apology: say that you’re sorry and that you won’t act the same way again. Don’t point fingers, and don’t set up conditions for your child to follow. As a parent, you should be humble when asking for forgiveness, and be unconditional when sharing your love to them.

Give Them Time

There may be a chance that your child doesn’t want to forgive you straight away. If they refuse to accept your apology, don’t fall into another temper tantrum. Instead, calmly accept their decision, and walk away. Give them enough space for a while, so that they can process their feelings themselves. Make sure you don’t ignore or alienate them because that would just drive them away. Instead, check up on them occasionally, making sure they’re doing okay.

After some time, go up to your child, and ask for reconciliation again. Don’t force them to accept – just let it hang in the air, like a silent invitation. No matter how upset your child might be, they need to be reminded that they will always have someone to return to for safety and comfort. And you as a parent are that safe haven!


Children are sensitive beings, and they need to learn how to be aware of their own emotions. That means they should know how to deal with being hurt, and how to be mature enough to forgive someone, whether they’re friends or family. Fortunately, nurseries in JLT truly value emotional well-being as much as academic development. Oakfield Early Learning takes it up a notch by making sure all children are happy. The practitioners there make sure the parents are informed of their child’s emotional state through regular updates and meetings. This way, parents are never made to feel like they’re out of their own child’s loop.


So the act of apologizing to your child is simple but necessary because children need emotional closure to feel safe. Only then can they feel more in control of their feelings.